Guwahati: The Assam Agricultural University (AAU), with the technical support of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), has succeeded in testing four planting systems by planting green beans, mustard, potatoes and lentils after Sali (Kharif) in six districts.
Field test demonstrations in the rice environment were selected during the rabbi season in 2020-21 and 2021-22 for four innovative planting systems.
Six districts, with an area of ​​20 Bighas, was chosen for demonstrations.
“This plant cultivation after rice harvesting will help increase farmers’ net profit.
In the long term, one of the planting systems that have the highest returns and productivity systems can be promoted for wider adoption,” said Kanwar Singh, Senior Associate scientists and resident coordinators in IRRI .
Geospatial technology includes remote sensing, geographic information system (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS), is being used under the Assam Agri-Business project and rural transformation (separate) to identify suitable areas where multi-cropping can be done after rice planting .
Identification targeted by AA from empty land to increase planting intensity to bring a significant increase in agricultural output in low productivity areas and increase system productivity.
“Images captured through remote sensing and drones are being analyzed with GIS to map potential areas and develop various geospatial outputs such as cutting system maps, rice maps, padi-fallow maps, map conformity of soil moisture and flooding maps.
This output is validated on land Through GPS, “said Suranjana B Borah, a senior specialist, GIS, and remote sensing at IRRI.
Because Assam is one of the most flooded countries, detailed identification of the area lying carried out so that the resistant rice varieties of soilgens can be distributed among farmers.
An area of ​​about 10 lakh hectares where rice was cultivated during Kharif remained underutilized in Assam during the Rabbi season, analysis by IRRI and AAU was revealed.
“There is sufficient scope to increase the productivity of a rice-based system by introducing short duration harvests in existing planting systems during rabbi.
To achieve this goal, soil moisture maps for rice-bera areas have been prepared by using satellite data to target and utilize moisture windows Short residual land, “said a communication specialist in IRRI, said.
Assam is estimated to be 25 lakh hectares under the cultivation of rice which accounts for almost 83% of the total land planted by the country.
But most of this rice cultivation is limited to the Season of Kharif (Sali) during when almost 19 hectares used.